A/N: So this is also on my Tumblr, but umm, it's a batfamily x batsis fic. Warnings: Death, Angst???, sadness, I cried.
I always believed death would come as a bullet from a Gotham madman, a final act in a chaotic battlefield. I never imagined it would be here, in a quiet green valley, under a sky dusted with stars. It's… peaceful.
I failed the mission. I failed my family, my team. If this is the consequence, then let it be. I won't have to face their disappointment. Though, the thought of the pain my death will cause… it breaks my heart even now.
The mission was deceptively simple: infiltrate the human trafficking routes, identify the destinations. My job was to ensure no family was torn apart, yet here I am, bleeding out under a starlit sky.
Several mob bosses sought protection from the Justice League, and naturally, mercenaries, villains with a grudge, or even a rogue hero were hired. I went undercover, feigning a turn to the dark side. I left the Batfamily to help the League catch the baddies. When they heard I'd “gone evil,” they were furious. They tried to convince me I was still one of the good guys. Jason, especially, pleaded with me. They didn't know I was on a mission. I became their enemy.
I pressed the emergency beacon on my belt, knowing it was futile. I’m not going to make it. Too much blood lost. I opened my eyes and watched the stars sparkle, scattered like moondust across the black velvet of the sky. I tried to stay awake, but exhaustion pulled at me. My breathing slowed, my eyelids grew heavy.
“I’m sorry, Dad,” I whispered, and with my final breath, closed my eyes.
---
I woke to a man in a tailored suit standing a few feet away, disappointment etched on his face. He walked towards me, extended a hand. I took it, and he pulled me upright. We stared at each other, an uncomfortable silence stretching between us.
“You’re early,” he said.
“I… what? Who are you?” I asked, my voice raspy.
“I’m Death,” he replied.
Too young. He looked far too young to be Death.
“I know. I’m just one of many incarnations. As for where you are… you’re in the veil between the Human World and the Spirit World,” he explained.
“So… I’m dead?” I breathed, the realization sinking in.
Death chuckled, then the scenery shifted. The sterile white room dissolved into the valley where I’d died, now bathed in daylight. My father knelt beside my lifeless body, cradling me close. Superman stood behind him, attempting to offer comfort.
“Why are you showing me this?”
“Your actions have consequences, y/n.”
I turned to him, frustration building. I’d known that since kindergarten.
“What do you mean?”
“You… you weren’t supposed to die. Not yet.”
I wasn't supposed to die? It was all too confusing. I sighed and looked back at my dad. He and Supes were leaving. The next thing I know is that we were at the Batcave. Dick and Damian were training, Jason was with Cass helping her recite Shakespeare, and Tim was at the batcomputer putting a case together. I haven’t seen them in two years. I was gone for two years.
Damian had grown taller, Tim looked haunted by sleepless nights, and Cass’s speech had improved. I smiled through the tears forming in my eyes. They'll be fine without me.
“Damian, pay attention,” Dick said, landing a kick on his side.
“I am Grayson,” Damian retorted.
“No, you’re not. What’s wrong?”
“I miss my sister.”
Everyone in the room stopped moving. Dick lowered his batons and knelt in front of Damian.
“Look, I know it’s hard, but…”
“She decided to go dark side, kid. She obviously doesn’t care about us anymore,” Jason interrupted, his voice laced with bitterness.
My tears flowed freely at his words. I cared too much. I didn’t want this. Damian hesitated, torn between believing Jason’s harsh words and his own heart. Just as he was about to speak, a call came through from the Watchtower. I started towards Damian, but our father appeared on the screen. Cass was the first to notice something was wrong. She asked him what was wrong and he broke down in tears. Everyone in the cave, especially Alfred who just now arrived, was surprised. He never cried unless something happened to one of his kids. He explained to them what happened. He told them about the mission. Me going undercover and dying. I walked towards Death and told him to get me out of here. He nodded and we returned to the veil. Immediately I broke down. I cried like I never cried before. I fell to the ground and hid my face. I can't deal with this. After a while, I stopped.
“Why,” I asked him.
“You weren’t supposed to take that case. You were supposed to walk away, live a normal life. Go to college, finish your education. Get married. Everything a normal person would do.”
“If that was supposed to happen, then why?”
“Something happened to the timeline. I wish I could tell you in more detail, but I can’t.”
“What am I supposed to do now?”
“Just… choose a path. It doesn’t matter which one. Whatever you do, don’t look back. Keep going.”
I got up and chose a path. I didn’t look back, I did what he told me and kept on going.